Bearberry General store opens in Lake Leelanau

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Part gently used, part brand new. Part camping necessities, part office supplies. Part collectibles, part home goods, and all of it at Bearberry General Store. It’s all part of the scene at the store in Lake Leelanau. A store owner Sarah Schultz says she had no interest in starting until opportunity came knocking. “It was Bearberry Vintage,” Schultz explains. She was taking items there for resale from her parents’ home after they had passed away when one day the owner told Schultz she was moving to Florida. “Do you want to buy the store?” she asked Schultz.

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Glen Lake Library honors The Librarians

In celebration of National Library Week, Glen Lake Community Library in Empire is showing the acclaimed documentary film, The Librarians on Wednesday, April 22, at 6:30 pm. This film traverses small-town USA with interviews and archival material to reveal the story of everyday Americans who have become unlikely defenders of democracy. This special screening is sponsored by the Friends of Glen Lake Community Library.

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Glen Arbor Arts Center examines: “Is Photography Dead?”

At a time when the world is drowning in photographic images, Grand Rapids photographer Rodney Martin asks: Is photography dead? On April 25, Martin will present a slide lecture that digs into that question. The program takes place in the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s main gallery from 1-2:30 pm.

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Leelanau Conservancy hosts Earth Week events

Earth Week is a time to slow down, step outside, and reconnect with the natural world. Join the Leelanau Conservancy from April 22–25 as they explore local trails, gather with fellow nature lovers, and discover simple ways to make a lasting impact—one step at a time. Click here for Earth Week events facilitated by Conservancy staff.

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Glen Lake Chamber hosts Restaurant Week, April 24-May 2

Get ready to indulge during the 12th annual Glen Lake Restaurant Week, April 24-May 2. From casual bites to gourmet dining, participating locations will feature specials or a prix-fixe menu that highlight the best of the local culinary scene. Whether you’re craving comfort food, fresh ingredients, exquisite drinks, or an elevated dining experience, there’s something for every palate. Some may also offer breakfast, lunch and dinner specials in accordance with their own hours and offerings. For special menus and the full lineup of participating businesses, check out VisitGlenArbor.com.

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Renovated Leelanau School auditorium welcomes Glen Arbor Players

Goodbye analog; hello digital! Exciting changes have happened in The Leelanau School’s auditorium, and no one is more enthusiastic about them than the Glen Arbor Players. The theater group’s 2026 season starts this spring as Phase 1 of auditorium renovations, funded by grant money and generous community donations, has just been completed.

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Leland Planning Commission rejects Youth for Christ’s application for Lighthouse ministry in Fishtown

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Following months of deliberation and impassioned public hearings, the Leland Planning Commission tonight rejected Apollos Properties’ special use permit application for a Youth for Christ “Lighthouse” ministry in Fishtown. In so doing, the Commission sided with findings-of-fact from outside attorney Tom Grier that found grounds to deny the special use permit. Conversely, Grier—an attorney with Running Wise & Ford—also prepared a separate document that offered the Commission a path to approve the ministry. The apparently dueling reports seemed to give the Commission defensible legal ground in the event that  Apollos’ owner Jim VanSteenhouse, known as the “Bear Man,” appeals the decision or sues the Township. Much of the debate centered around whether a Youth for Christ ministry could qualify as a “club” allowed in Leland’s C-1 business district. Grier’s analysis that opposed a special use permit concluded that “private clubs, meeting halls, churches and religious institutions are not allowed as permitted or special land uses in the C-1 district.”

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Crystal River flooding compromises The Mill, residents downstream

Heavy rain in recent days has resulted in flooding at The Mill, the iconic restaurant and cafe just east of Glen Arbor, which remains open with regular operating hours despite the hurdle. Three culverts were removed in the past couple years upstream and under County Road 675. A remaining culvert downstream from The Mill, beneath the Overbrook Drive entrance road for The Homestead resort, is underwater and stemming the flow of the river. The problem could worsen with more heavy rain expected tonight and in the days to come. The problem is not new, but has exacerbated since a late winter snowstorm in March and ensuing spring melt overwhelmed the river’s watershed.

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Leelanau Reads Newman’s Wreck

The four public libraries of Leelanau County invite you to participate in Leelanau Reads, a community reading program. During the annual Leelanau Reads program, county residents are encouraged to come together in a shared reading experience. This year’s book pick is Wreck by Catherine Newman, a short, contemporary novel full of laughter and heart, about marriage, family, and what happens when life doesn’t go as planned.

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Leelanau Conservancy holds Native Plant Rescue

Leelanau County is well-known for its population of earth-caring individuals among its members, and those that care for wildflowers and native growing plants are no exception. The Leelanau Conservancy, the county’s land preservation group, started its wildflower/native plant rescue program in the fall of 1999. Its singular purpose is to save native plants, keeping them from bulldozers and from other sources of destruction. The Conservancy summons volunteers for its annual kick-off at the Old Art Building in Leland on Wednesday, April 15 starting at 10:30 a.m.

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